CB. Question

[DGamelin]

Does anybody know why you cant use a radio antenna

a for a CB?





93 250 xc 2wd 354 auto 255k

04. 5 3500 cc 4wd dully 373 6speed 70k

 

[SNGLESHOT]

I would not do that

DG:
The radio antenna that came with your vehicle is made for receiving and not transmitting. Also the antenna needs to be matched to the frequency ranges's being put out by the CB. For example you may notice that higher frequencies (UHF) may be much shorter than (VHF) etc. They are usually inversely proportional size wise to the frequency ranges. You may damage the power output by hooking up a CB to a regular vehicle AM?FM type antenna. I am not a radio whiz or claim to be, but I would not try this at all. you can get a good magnetic CB antenna for under $40 at any truckstop or radio shop. They do make combination type antennas that can be used for both CB and AM/FM and those have a special coil to match the frequencies. They also make "thru the glass" type antennas but I have no experience with that. I would go with an external magnetic that you can take off for washing or when you are not running a CB. Good luck to you.

 

[fest3er]

Does anybody know why you cant use a radio antenna

a for a CB?

It's not recommended. The impedance prolly won't match your radio very well, thus causing much of your transmit power to be cancelled out by itself. The electrical length of the antenna won't necessarily match CB frequencies, further detracting from transmit power.



That said, if you know what you are doing, have some instrumentation to hand, and are feeling adventurous, try it! As I recall, some vehicles back in the 70's (I think) came equipped with CBs that used the radio antenna; they were probably configured differently, though. Nearly all antennas are 50 ohm impedance. Shoot, I used a cellular antenna base for my CB for some years in my old F150; I just put a different whip on it.

 

[DGamelin]

I did try it and the swr's are maxed out on every channel that will ruin the transmitter. I tried it, ruined it in one trip. All the how to I can find says that there is a short, there is not I checked a number of times. I put a matching stock antenna on the other side of the truck. I guess I will try to see what I can find that will go in that mount. I have some antenna rod that we used to cut to mach the radio, I would have to make a end that would fit the stock mount that is all ready there. It has been years since I played with this stuff.